Hat Knitting Pattern in stranded colorwork "Montagna"

Many of my early days were spent near the border that runs between Austria and Italy, high up in the mountains. Sometimes you got the impression that there were more cows around than people. It is a beautiful part of the world. Standing on top of a mountain makes the world look so very much larger.
The not so good story about the mountains is this: It gets extremely cold in winter. No way you can go out without a hat. Having told you this little story, I hope you will also enjoy this little hat.

It is worked from the bottom to the top in a very straight forward pattern. Ribbing – stranded part – stockinette part – decreases. The stranded pattern is charted only, you need to know how to read charts.

Difficulty level: intermediate (working in the round on DPNs or circulars, stranded knitting, working from charts)

Yarn: Steinbach Strapaz (80% wool, 20% nylon; 150m/50g; 164yds/1.76oz), 1 ball of each color. Sample in size medium used 102m (112yds) of main color in blue, 15m (17yds) of contrast color 1 in brown and 18m (20yds) of contrast color 2 in white.

Needles: 3.5mm/US 4 set of 5 DPNs or circular needle

Notions: yarn needle, stitch marker (optional when working on circulars)

Gauge: 22 stitches/33 rows in stranded stockinette stitch (blocked) = 10cm/4in. Please note that gauge is important.

Sizes: child, teen, adult medium, adult large, 42, 47, 52, 57cm (16 3/4, 18 3/4, 20 3/4, 22 3/4in) in circumference, 15, 18, 20, 22cm (6, 7 1/4, 8, 8 3/4in) in length. It is a snugly fitting hat.